The Devil’s Mask, released by Columbia in 1946, is a fun, little whodunnit that combines horror and mystery into a short and captivating package starring Jim Bannon, Anita Louise, Barton Yarborough, Michael Duane, and Mona Barrie.

The story revolves around the discovery of a shrunken head found among the remains of a crashed plane, a missing husband, a murder plot, a young woman, private detectives, secret codes, a killer, a pet leopard and more. Solidly shot by Henry Levin in stark black and white, he strikes an ominous tone almost from the outset. The revelation of the head, the practice of shrinking them forbidden by the tribes of South America and by the law everywhere else, sets the mood for what is to come, and for the most part, it does not disappoint. Shadows are deep and long, the atmosphere dense and thick as events proceed, and the mystery thickens. The pace is methodical, and there are certain moments where an attempt at levity is made, but those are few and far between; the horror and the secret of what happened to museum director Quentin Mitchell weigh in more than anything else.  Most exciting is the fact that nobody is sure whether Quentin is dead or alive.  With no body, proving it one way or another is the question the various parties will have to answer.

The cast is good, not great, and they make the material work to the best of their abilities. Jim Bannon and Barton Yarborough are solid as private detectives Jack Packard and Doc Long. This would actually be the second film to feature the two, the previous effort being called I Love a Mystery. A third film titled The Unknown would be released that same year, before the duo retired from the big screen—at least in these particular roles. While they would make the film worth watching, Louise and Duane were decent as well, the latter more so than the former. The question as to who murdered Mitchell comes down to who believes whom. There are theories and there are possible clues, but the two women in the picture are at odds, that being stepmother and stepdaughter. Running just over an hour long, Levin packs a lot in, and though it may not be the most inventive of pictures, be it in cinematography, direction or even story, it is eminently watchable.

In today’s world, The Devil’s Mask may not resonate with everyone. While it is clearly dated, considering its year of release, there is still enough substance to make it worth watching. The positives outweigh the negatives, and given the short running time, it makes for a nice little movie to fill those moments when one is unsure what to pass the time with. Pairing it with the other two movies in the series makes for a solid triple-feature, and if given the chance, it is the preferred way to watch the film. Considering the abundance of films available, one could do better as far as B movies go—but in the end, this still entertains and scratches the itch to watch something.

2.5 out of 5